Successful surgery

We are at the end of day 2 of the 8 week healing process. Carly is sleeping soundly on the bed with the cone head next to Maisey. She whinned for about 12 hours yesterday, either from the frustration of having a plastic cone stapped to her neck, the pain of the surgery or the itch of the stitches. Either way, it was a tough night for me. I got up about 4 am and gave her a pill wrapped in peanut butter. Evidently, the peanut butter masks the bitter taste and it goes down without a hitch.

I'm glad we got the surgery over. After interviewing 3 vets and a nurse, it was time to make a decision. If I can just keep her slow for the next two months, we'll be home free and back to scaling mountains. The vet says that her left knee will be stronger than before. I wonder if that will cause the right to bust? Hope not, but at least I know what to expect and to save some cash.

She even peed tonight. A very thick urine because she was having trouble squatting on three legs.

She so emotionally attached to me. She wants to lean up to me on the bed, just to make sure I'm there? I reassure her repeatedly, that everything will be fine, that this is just temporary. Hopefully she understands and believes me.

It's funny how I don't care about the money or the time lost or anything but healing her. I don't know what I will do without her. Mom says God will give me another special dog, but I wish this one could be around for ever. I will always remember to make the most of each day I have with her. She is just so amazingly wonderful and special.

My hiking partner

Five days ago Carly was having a great time hiking through the woods on Bainbridge island, when the last tendon in her left knee ligament snapped. A loud squeal was heard, followed by another and then limping. I knew what happened, just didn't want it to be true. We have visited 3 doctors; a naturopathic and a surgeon and still I'm not sure exactly what should be done. I'm sure that she needs surgery to get back to full health. And the weeks of no-activity following the surgery will be less than fun. But what surgery do I do with? They have this new surgery, a tightrope that seems promising, but because it is so new, will there be complications? There's the traditional surgery and the normal route of repair that seems like the best shot. What if the other one breaks? I feel that this break had been occuring for a long time. With all the twisiting and turning and speeding around that she does, it was bound to happen. Here it is and we don't have a lot of options. Just one, actually. I think Dr. Brad was fairly unsatisfied with the tightrope surgery. He highly recomends Dr Fry due to his high success rate with the traditional method. The guy I met today seemed knowledgeable, but he's so young and doesen't have the number of surgeries under his belt. I want a surgeon that really knows corgi knees, if that is an issue. Her left knew is so blown out. Will it heal back? Would a simple suture surgery be enough? This is pretty scary. How to know what to do? My active, healthy dog is down for the count and I don't have the answers. I need answers. Does it really matter? All the suture is there for is to keep the knee stabilized as the ligaments heal back again. Then, all is well. What are the chances of blowing out again? So confused and uncertain. I'm looking at 3 months of down time. Catching up on house projects, going to yoga, lots of quiet, healing time. And the trailer sits outside, waiting. Maybe I should see if anyone wants to borrow it? I don't want to drill holes in her knees and have then break again. I know that bones heal well and solid, so that shouldn't be an issue, but still not sure what to do.